Rob Helmke is the Marketing Director for Plastic Ingenuity, Inc., located in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. Plastic Ingenuity is a custom thermoforming manufacturer that has built its reputation in the industry by providing innovative packaging solutions, being customer focused and flexible. Rob is responsible for all facets of Plastic Ingenuity's marketing program including overall strategic direction, Internet and public relations, brand management and business development. Rob has 16 years of packaging industry experience with Plastic Ingenuity, a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, has served on the Madison Area Technical College marketing advisory board, and has presented at Marketing Profs B2B conferences.

PI specializes in food and retail packaging, and recently we’ve unveiled seven new designs that meet the specifications for both markets. Examine each design’s benefits and how they could be advantageous to your company’s products—and see why you may want to start using them.

Follow Your Arrow

Ideal for: To-go boxes

The “Follow Your Arrow” design contains tamper evident features directly in the design and does not require a secondary piece. This plastic packaging is perfect for storing food items or as to-go boxes in restaurants.

Corner Appeal

Ideal for: On-the-go meals

In “Corner Appeal” design, the lid is submerged within the base rib of the packaging. Users must break away a perforated seal on the tub. They can then open from any corner of the tub. Because this design provides tamper resistance, it is ideal for ready-made meals.

Top Hat Trick

Ideal for: To-go items

The “Top Hat Trick” is a two-piece design that features a lid trim buried into the package’s base. The design easily opens, making it an excellent option for to-go containers for on-the-go meals or heavier foods, like chicken or beef dishes, or thick desserts, like cheesecakes.

Grip ‘n’ Rip

The “Grip ‘n’ Rip” design provides the look and feel of clamshell packaging, yet it creates additional safeguarding to products with its perforated design—exactly what retail products need. To open the packaging, consumers must tear off the perforated edges. After they open the package, they can reseal it with the formed snap features.

Smoking Gun

Ideal for: Produce foods

The “Smoking Gun” is similar to the “Grip ‘n’ Rip,” yet it is a true clamshell design. It does not have perforations as an additional security measure like the “Grip ‘n’ Rip” but can still provide exceptional protection. The “Smoking Gun” plastic packaging features male/female snap buttons that allows users to open and reseal the design as needed.

Fiddler on the Roof

Ideal for: Heavier food products

Because the lid of this plastic packaging design fits snugly into the base, the “Fiddler on the Roof” provides the security needed to prevent heavier food items with thick sauces, like pastas or nachos, from leaking out.

Labels Out

Ideal for: On-the-go food items

The “Labels Out” packaging is a clamshell design that is best for prepackaged food items. This label design lets customers know the food they are consuming is fresh and is untampered.

Why Change Your Packaging Design?

You may already have your products’ packaging designs in place and don’t feel the need to change it. At PI, though, we advise companies to continuously evaluate their current packaging design to determine if a new one is necessary. After all, a business’s brand goals, as well as many other factors, could change over time. The seven aforementioned packaging designs provide exceptional protection and tamper resistance and could be highly beneficial for your products, be it for food, retail or any other industry. Selecting your plastic packaging is not something that happens overnight, though—it’s a process that requires careful consideration for materials, design and much more. Wondering if one of these designs could work for you? Get in touch with PI’s team to learn more about the seven new packaging models.